"He's a man of the people"; "Worth the fine!" - Fans approve as Bryce Harper ditches new look for pre-2024 normal-sized lettering Phillies jersey
The MLB's new uniform changes have not been a resounding success, and Bryce Harper appears to be leading a rebellion of sorts, at least in the jersey department. While the new trousers have been ridiculed for being thin to the point of transparency, the jerseys have been unpopular due to changes to the lettering, numbers and in general being different from tradition.
Harper has caught some attention online, as the Philadelphia Phillies first baseman wore a pre-2024 style jersey against the Pittsburgh Pirates. As to whether this was deliberate or due to another reason is unclear at this stage, but fans were quick to praise what they thought was him making a stand.
Harper was called "a man of the people," and while many thought a fine would be coming his way, the consensus was that it would be worth it.
While Harper's jersey has become a story from the series against the Pirates, the Phillies will be looking to keep the attention on the field as much as possible. After winning 4-3 on Saturday, Philadelphia has won two of the series' first three games and will be looking to beat Pittsburgh again on Sunday.
Bryce Harper's Phillies looking for more consistent hitting
The Phillies are 8-7 and second in the NL East as they head into Sunday's matchup with the Pirates. While they have dropped some winnable games, there is room for optimism about a team that many label as a dark horse for the 2024 World Series.
Hitting has been on and off thus far, but manager Rob Thompson believes in his team. Reporters asked Thompson about the team's hitting on Thursday, to which he responded:
“Just keep running them out there because we’re gonna slug. And if you don’t think we’re gonna slug then you ain’t watching the games.”
One player the Phillies will be looking to get more out of is Bryce Harper. A hugely popular figure in both the organization and the league, Harper has started the season a little slowly, batting at a .204 average in 2024, which is a dip compared to his normal stats.
Bryce Harper has registered 2 hits in 12 at-bats during the three games against the Pirates and will be looking to change that on Sunday. If the Phillies can get their hitters on form, they will be a very hard team to defeat, but if they can't, they will likely continue to drop games.